Customer Reviews

Gumby Essentials Vol. 1

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gumby is given a new lease on life, fully restored and better than ever!

I am thoroughly delighted with this collection, although it almost seems like a teaser.

This is a major taste of what the essence of the "GUMBY" series is all about. In this collection, you will find episodes in which Gumby, our favorite little clay boy, gets toy robots to do his chores for him until they end up going on a rampage and destroying the Gumbau home, another in which Gumby learns how to bake from mounds of dough in various stages, in and out of the oven, and still another in which Gumby and Pokey enter a drag race that is run like the ultimate board game. The set spans the many decades that the character was a TV favorite, even capping off with three episodes from the last incarnation of the 1980's.

My one wish is that we get longer sets with any proposed second or third volume. If this is merely an introduction (and, judging from the title, it is), then I can accept it as thus and only hope that we see a lot of my other favorites, including the actual introduction to the character and his trips into outer space and Mirrorland (to look for his lost allowance) and so many trips into books to meet historical figures and...well...just being a kid. What I've always liked about the series is captured in the first three shorts that seem to follow the little clay boy around as he just uses his fertile imagination to solve even the most elementary problems.

Each of these episodes has its original soundtrack, the thing we were so hoping for with that massive, well-intentioned set from Rhino. What Rhino set out to do was fine, but it didn't want to go through the legal battles to get the rights to the original tracks. Art Clokey has apparently succeeded in doing this, now, so let's hope that this is only the first of many, many sets until each and every piece of film that features the little clay boy adventurer and sportsman and kid scientist is indeed fully restored and on our home video shelves to enjoy again and again and never, ever grow tired of. This is the one genuine piece of kid-vid that I can still enjoy as an adult, and it never looked or sounded better!!

The longer, two-chapter episodes are neatly fused into one full episode, and that's okay, because we have the best of both chapters. It is that early period of the series, from the late 1950's that I like so much. Each episode that is included here is placed in its original production order. This isn't complete, but it gives its audience a nice impression of just why the character lasted for so many years.

Please bring us so much more!

Yes Goodtimes had pretty good 10 episode collection on DVD from 2003,but this great 15 episode collection called Gumby Essentials,is a much better collection,All episodes ARE selected by Art Clokey,the creator of Gumby(Which means Clokey Productions sees some royalties from this releases,this seems to be an authorized version,the Goodtimes DVD is NOT!)This has pretty good picture quality(considering the source material)and the original soundtracks,a major plus!!! This DVD also has some great bonus featues as well!!! LONG LIVE GUMBY!!!

This is a really great DVD and well worth $10. As mentioned, this contains the original version of the episodes (original soundtrack and the 1950's episodes are in their original length).

There are also some nice extras for the DVD. It includes some of the bumpers seen on TV, the music video "Gumbasia," and the pilot episode "Gumby on the Moon".

My only complaint is the packaging. It is not the typical clamshell case most DVDs come in, but rather it's more like a thick paper booklet (which unfortunately can't be locked shut, though it does lay flat). I've read where Joe Clokey, son of Gumby creator Art Clokey, has said this was done to be more environmentally friendly. This could also be a cost cutting measure. Either way, it's a very minor complaint.

This is the first of what is hopefully many Gumby DVDs to be released by Classic Media. On April 22, 2008, the Gumby Movie (Director's Cut) will be released on DVD for the first time.

Gumby fans have been waiting for a release such as this one. The only thing that could trump this sampler set would be a complete series set. This collection represents the most popular episodes from 3 decades, the 1950's, the 1960's and the 1980's. In all honesty, I can't imagine any episode of the 1980's series really being essential, but I guess the ones chosen for this collection are a fair representation of the best moments that series had (which really doesn't say much).

This DVD release comes about 20 years after Gumby creator Art Clokey had hosted a 30th Anniversary video titled "The Best of Gumby", which featured Art's 7 favorite episodes, which at that point in time, the 1980's series would not premiere on TV until a year later. On this DVD, 6 out of the 7 from the previous "best of" compilation are once again represented. Perhaps Art was not 100% clear on which episodes really are his favorites, or perhaps he had many more favorites than what could be represented on these compilations.

Now, for the episodes themselves, they all do indeed retain their original soundtracks. There is no 1980's audio redubs on any of the 1950's or 1960's episodes. Also, the 1950's episodes are edited back to their original format. Sometime in the early 1960's when new episodes were made, the 1950's episodes were split in half. However, the editing back together on the 1950's episodes is not the smoothest in some cases. Changes in audio and picture quality clearly give it away that two separate film sources were used, and on at least one episode, a narration track is still heard that was only added after the episode had been split in half.

Now for the episodes; From the 1950's we get "Robot Rumpus", which has probably become known as everyone's favorite Gumby episode. Just about everyone, whether they are a Gumby fan or not will recall the episode where Gumby uses robots to do his chores, but the robots mess up his parents' house instead. Next, we have "Too Loo", where Gumby helps two lost music notes find their home while being chased by a bully. Then, Gumby and Pokey help a lost Hopi Indian find the "Rain Spirits". Next up, Gumby and Pokey go "In the Dough" and learn how to bake. Lastly, Gumby competes against the Blockheads in "The Racing Game".

The 1960's portion of the program gives us "The Groobee", which introduces that bee that eats sawdust and nails and builds crates around other animals. Next up, Gumby and Pokey discover dinosaurs in a "Hidden Valley". Then, Gumby acts as a sheriff in a western town where he encounters the outlaw "Ricochet Pete". Then, Gumby and Pokey run away from home in search of a new home in "The Small Planets". Lastly, "Gumby Crosses the Delaware" with General George Washington.

The 1980's portion brings us "The Wild Horse", an episode centered around Gumby's sister Minga. Then, Don Quixote visits Gumby and friends in "The Knight Mare". Next, Gumby and friends run a pie-making business in "Goo's Pies". Then, Gumby helps save a colony of honey bees in "To Bee or Not to Bee". Lastly, Gumby and friends put on a show out west in "Kid Brother Kids".

There are some good special features on the disc as well. Included is "Gumbasia", the film that inspired Art Clokey to make clay-animated films. Then, there is "Gumby on the Moon", a cut-down of the original pilot episode originally known as "Moon Trip, parts 1-2". Then, there is the famous 1960's Gumby theme song. Probably the rarest material in the special features are the various Gumby bumpers from the late 1960's. Probably the most useless among the special features is the character bios.

I bought this for my adult son who was totally into Gumby as a kid. There was only one episode we remembered. Definitely not an "essential" collection. Disappointed in the choices. Even the song is different. Check other reviewer lists to see if any appear familiar before buying.

Why can't classic media release gumby on dvd anymore. well I wish classic media would release gumby essentials vol. 2 on dvd. when is it coming out?

I bought this to go with my Gumby: the Movie DVD and I was not dissappointed. All the episodes were cute, especially the 50s ones. I also like the Gumby on the Moon pilot and liked Gumbasia (definitly saw Gumby's orgins in it). Finally, the theme song was wonderful. Buy this DVD, especially with the Gumby movie DVD. I whole-heartly recommend this.

Why 5 stars? Well, it's Gumby Dammitt!

Sure it isn't as slick or deep as some of todays kids material, but it is original. It is differant, and it is often bizzare.

I've got twin 6 year old boys who have seen their share of the new stuff, but ask for Gumby all of the time. What better endorsment than that?

With all of the greatness, and awfullness that cgi can bring, their is still something about stop motion that is intriguing.

Perhaps it is that this time consuming, tedious process enables it's creators to inject a sense of individuality that is often overlooked in cgi.

In any event, this disc spans the range of Gumby from early to later.

Many of the Gumby episodes that I remember are here.

They look good, and the price is cheap!

If that's what you are looking for, you found them.

This is a great DVD. My grandson enjoyed it immensly and it brought back my own childhood memories as well.

my one son loves Gumby, and I think he'll wear this dvd out soon. since the seller was great, we'll get a new one from them!